The ruling that using agency staff to cover strikes will have an impact on bin collections in West Cumbria.
Refuse collectors in Allerdale started indefinite industrial action over pay in May and their employer, Allerdale Waste Services, has been using agency staff to cover their rounds for normal waste – recycling and garden waste collections have been suspended.
Yesterday, the High Court said employers can no longer use agency staff during strike action after 13 trade unions launched a judicial review, because they said the Government had breached their rights by failing to consult them.
The Government had introduced the controversial legislation in response to a wave of strikes in the UK last year. Ministers said they were disappointed and were considering the next steps.
Allerdale Waste Services – which earlier this week said it was meeting with local union bosses on Monday in a bid to end the strike – released a statement about the High Court ruling.
Allerdale Waste Services is a company wholly owned by Cumberland Council.
Charles Holmes, managing director, said: “Allerdale Waste Services has been following the lawful Government Regulations throughout the current dispute to keep an essential waste collection service operating with as minimal disruption to residents as possible. This has meant that around 94 per cent of domestic waste has managed to be collected since the strike action began.
“We will of course adhere with what the Government and law stipulates.
“It is disappointing that the strike action has been prolonged and despite several fair and reasonable offers tabled by AWS to the Unions, an agreement has yet to be reached.
” Following the meeting on July 4 – at which the unions put forward a variety of proposals of their own – AWS have confirmed what they were able to accept and what required further consideration. I remain hopeful that the follow up meeting planned for Monday July 17 will see an end to the dispute and get Allerdale Waste Services staff back to work.
“Should Monday not see a resolution reached and an end to the industrial action that has lasted for almost 12 weeks, then Allerdale Waste Services will be left with no alternative but to consider further options and next steps.”
